ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine personnel perception of the management of federal and state polytechnics in South East Nigeria. Four research questions and four null hypotheses were generated and formulated respectively for the study. Descriptive survey design was employed and a 51-item questionnaire was developed and administered to 200 respondents in the six polytechnics. Disproportionate random sampling technique was used to select 10% of the 2003 lecturers giving 200. For fair representation of all the departments in the six polytechnics, 33 lecturers were chosen from each polytechnics. Focus group discussion was carried out with the student union government leaders of the six polytechnics while on-the-spot observation checklist was used for the physical facilities and equipment. There was also an interview schedule held with the principal officers and deans of schools of the six polytechnics in South East, Nigeria. The instrument was validated by three experts of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, two in educational administration and planning and one in measurement and evaluation. Two research assistants were trained and assisted the researcher in data collection while focus group discussion, interview and checklist were handled by the researcher. Eighty five percent of the questionnaire were duly completed and returned. To determine the reliability of the instruments, cronbach alpha method was used on the scores obtained in a trial testing to determine the internal consistency. The reliability of the whole instrument was .80. The statistics used for the analysis were the mean, standard deviation and t-test. Qualitative analysis was used to present the results of the focus group discussion and interview carried out. The study found that instructions are managed to a great extent, while financial, personnel and physical facilities/equipment are managed to less extent in the polytechnics. Overall, there is poor management of polytechnics in South East Nigeria. There were no significant differences (p > .05) in the mean rating scores of lectures on the extent of the management of instruction, personnel services and finance in Federal and State Polytechnics. However, there was a significant difference on the extent of management of facilities in favour of Federal Polytechnics. Based on the findings, some educational implications were drawn and the following recommendations were made: Deans of schools and the heads of departments should supervise the lecturers on regular basis to guide them in being innovative and in ensuring that the lecture room environment is conducive for learning to take place. The funds allocated to these polytechnics should be judiciously and prudently used by the polytechnics administrators for the proper management of these polytechnics, employment of workers by the polytechnics authorities should follow the laid down rules in the polytechnics manual, the unavailability and poor condition of the existing physical facilities and equipment should be made known to the concerned bodies so that they can help by providing and maintaining some of the facilities lacking in these institutions. There should be improved funding of the polytechnics and there should be development of maintenance culture by the administrators.